RAISING WAGES

Louise has worked to turn around the economy in Monroe County, and to help bring back good jobs by making our region a leader in the next generation of high-tech manufacturing. But Louise is also concerned that Rochester has been ranked one of the poorest cities in the United States, and income inequality continues to plague the country. The jobs are returning, but wages have remained flat. We have to do more to make sure people who find jobs and work hard can earn a fair wage.

Louise knows that all Americans benefit when working families get a raise. That’s why she has worked to increase the minimum wage. The current federal minimum wage of $7.25 is indefensibly low and inconsistent with our nation’s values. Raising the minimum wage to $15.00 an hour would create new jobs, alleviate poverty, and even save money by reducing enrollment in programs like SNAP (formerly called food stamps). Raising the minimum wage would be good for our economy as a whole, but particularly effective for women, communities of color, immigrants, and LGBTQ Americans.

Louise is also focused on ensuring equal pay for women. A report by the Center for American Progress found that a woman who worked full time only earned, on average, 77 cents for every dollar a man earned in the same job. African American women earned only 64 cents and Latinas earned only 56 cents for each dollar earned by a white man. That kind of pay gap cheats women, their families, and our economy. Louise has fought for decades for equal pay for equal work and champions the Paycheck Fairness Act.